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Rakhimov & Cordina Kick Off Fight Week
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov and Joe Cordina kicked off fight week
with a face off at the iconic Cardiff Castle last night
ahead of their IBF Super-Featherweight World Title clash at
the Cardiff International Arena this Saturday April 22,
shown live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Australia and New
Zealand).
Cardiff Castle is one of Wales' leading heritage attractions
and a site of international significance, boasting 2000
years of history in the heart of the city. Cordina will be
looking to create some more history of his own this weekend
as he bids to become a two-time World Champion.
‘The Welsh Wizard’ (15-0, 9 KOs) captured the famous red and
gold belt with a stunning one-punch knockout of Japan’s
Kenichi Ogawa on a memorable night at the arena last June to
become his country’s latest World Champion.
Cordina was scheduled to make the first defence of his World
Title against Rakhimov in Abu Dhabi last November but
suffered a hand injury that required surgery and was
subsequently stripped of his title by the IBF.
Tajikistan’s Rakhimov (17-0-1, 14 KOs) won the vacant title
by stopping Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett in nine rounds on the
undercard of Dmitry Bivol vs. Gilberto Ramirez, and the
28-year-old southpaw is relishing the challenge of defending
his crown in Cordina’s backyard.
Rakhimov vs. Cordina headlines a huge night of boxing in
Cardiff; Welsh rivals Gavin Gwynne (15-2-1, 3 KOs) and Craig
Woodruff (12-6-1, 4 KOs) rematch for the British Lightweight
Title following their thrilling draw at the Bolton Whites
Hotel last September, Manchester Cruiserweight Jordan
Thompson (14-0, 11 KOs) puts his IBF European Title on the
line against Swindon’s Luke Watkins (16-2, 11 KOs), Derby's
Sandy Ryan (5-1, 2 KOs) clashes with Canada's Marie Pier
Houle (8-0-1, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Welterweight Title,
Manchester's former World Title challenger Zelfa Barrett
(28-2, 16 KOs) faces the USA's Jason Sanchez (16-3, 9 KOs)
for the WBA Continental Super-Featherweight Title,
Australia's Skye Nicolson (6-0) steps up against Peru's
Linda Laura Lecca (15-6-2, 3 KOs) over eight rounds at
Featherweight, Swansea Super-Bantamweight Brandon Scott
(4-0, 1 KO) takes on India's Karan Gill (3-0, 1 KO) over
four rounds, Newport Super-Featherweight Nathan Howells
(5-0-1) meets Oldbury's Jahfieus Faure over four rounds,
Swansea Light-Heavyweight Sammy Lee (1-0) fights Latvia's
Juris Zundovskis (6-5, 5 KOs) over six rounds and Kingston
Heavyweight Miles Gordan-Darby (3-0) takes on Swindon's Phil
Williams (5-41-1, 1 KO) over four rounds.
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